Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

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After training camp ended, the preseason began—a time that was relaxed but filled with diverse sentiments among the players.

The Bucks won three out of four preseason games, and the one they lost saw Yu Fei playing only 10 minutes.

Karl was intent on testing the strength of the new players, especially the two rookies.

The results were not ideal, as Pachulia's defense issues were magnified and Haslem's technical roughness was laid bare.

"I also hope they can contribute to the team immediately, but obviously, they still have a long way to go," George Karl said, "You can't expect every rookie to shine like Frye right away."

After the preseason ended, the Bucks prepared at home for a few days before welcoming the 2003-04 season opener. Stay connected via empire

As the defending champions, the Bucks played host for the first game of the new season, welcoming their first opponent—the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Timberwolves' cornerstone, Kevin Garnett, one of the most successful high school draftees in history, came to the away game. What did he feel about seeing Yu Fei, another high school draftee, leading his team to the championship, raising the banner at home court, and claiming the championship ring in his sophomore year?

One thing for certain, he did not harbor any "vicarious pride."

That summer, with only one year left on his contract, Garnett did not reach an agreement with the Timberwolves on an early extension. Despite his public declarations of love for "Sota," the lack of a renewal signified future uncertainties, a stance of "I don't know if I still want to stay here."

No wonder, the Timberwolves essentially spent their time in constant rebuilding since their inception, and with Garnett as the "big ticket," they failed to progress beyond the first round of the playoffs for seven consecutive years.

For whatever reasons, Garnett needed to put pressure on the team; he could no longer merely coast along.

Thus, worried about losing Garnett, the Timberwolves brought in the best roster in team history during the offseason.

First, the Timberwolves signed the underperforming number one pick Michael Olowokandi, and then through a trade with Washington, they acquired Sam Cassell. Afterward, they had to deal with circumstances where the world line had changed.

Since Sprewell was already sent to Milwaukee by New York the previous year and The Madman, as a key contributor to the championship, had no reason to be traded by the Bucks.

Therefore, the famous Timberwolves 'Big Three' was impossible to assemble in this lifetime.

In fact, in the original timeline, the Timberwolves themselves were faced with two choices: the trade of Sprewell was part of a four-team deal, and they had to choose between getting King's Hedo Turkoglu and the 76ers' Keith Van Horn or betting on Sprewell.

Garnett preferred Sprewell, so they chose the latter.

In this life, the option of Sprewell does not exist.

After much deliberation, the Timberwolves sent out Mark Jackson and Terrell Brandon to get back Hedo Turkoglu from the Kings, and Glenn Robinson from the Knicks.

Suddenly, the Timberwolves had a strong starting lineup: Cassell, Szczerbiak (Turkoglu), Robinson, Garnett, Olowokandi.

The Timberwolves' new lineup even earned the approval of the Galacticos.

At a recent media day, when a reporter asked the Lakers' Gary Payton who posed the biggest threat to their championship, Payton directly named the Timberwolves.

"They have a starting five that can match up with us, not to be underestimated,"

These were Payton's very words.

While it wasn't everyone's opinion, it reflected the general perception of the Timberwolves.

Today, in their first official game with this lineup, they were guests in Milwaukee, bearing witness as the Bucks raised their second championship banner.

However, the person within the Timberwolves who felt this scene most deeply wasn't Garnett but Big Dog Robinson.

Big Dog watched the flag being raised and felt an infinite number of emotions. It seemed to prove the necessity and correctness of trading him away. From now on, nobody would care about his presence and contribution anymore.

It's only championships that last forever.

As the banner rose, Yu Fei received his championship ring from Stern, tried it on, then saw Garnett staring intently at him.

"Want it, KG?"

Yu Fei had a good impression of Garnett.

Moreover, this impression was entirely practical—Garnett performed brilliantly in last year's All-Star game and helped the Western All-Star Team secure the victory in overtime, winning the AMVP trophy.

That alone was enough.

Garnett looked at the ring, something he could only obtain in his dreams, and now it was on Yu Fei's finger.

And Yu Fei did not seem to treasure it at all. After trying it on a few times, finding it uncomfortable, he tossed it to an assistant.

"I will get it sooner or later," Garnett said.

"That is, unless you leave Minnesota," Yu Fei replied, "You won't get anything here."

Garnett now had the best roster since joining the Timberwolves, and yet Yu Fei bluntly threw cold water on him?

He was confident because their roster was so good that even the Lakers Team was wary.

"I'm not leaving," Garnett confidently said, "You don't understand the bond I have with this place. You're too young to know how close you become to a city after playing nearly a decade there."

Yu Fei indeed did not understand this, but he knew that the bond between a player and a city is often a two-way choice.

"In that case, I wish you luck and hope you renew with the Timberwolves soon. I suggest you sign with them for seven years, that way you can be together forever."

Yu Fei's words of a "lock-in suggestion" sounded very unpleasant to Garnett.

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